


How Coffee Saved Our Lives

by stomachmassacre



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No Smut, Sad Spencer Reid, Trauma, also you work in a coffee shop, reader in danger, reader in peril, reader is not described male or female, they/them pronouns for reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:42:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25654597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stomachmassacre/pseuds/stomachmassacre
Summary: Spencer Reid is your somewhat mysterious neighbor. He seems nice but you can tell he's hiding more than anyone you've ever met. You get in some trouble and you wonder if it's enough to get him to open up to you.
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	1. Doctor Reid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet your neighbor Doctor Spencer Reid and he is different than you expected.

Spencer Reid was your neighbor. You saw him the day you moved in, seeming to have woken him up by moving all your things in the tiny place you could barely afford. He was in a robe over an old t-shirt and pajama pants, dark eyes and messy hair on full display as he peeked out of his door. Your apartment was across the hall from his so he probably just wanted to see who his new neighbor would be. You had caught a glimpse before he shut the door and hadn’t seen him since. Sure, you heard him leave the apartment and come home, but you hadn’t had a chance to properly meet him. You only knew his name because of your other neighbor, a sweet older woman named Mary who lived there with her wife.  
“Your neighbor there is a real kind boy, smart too. He’s just real shy. His name’s Spencer Reid- Well, excuse me, Doctor Spencer Reid.”  
You had contemplated bringing him something from the store as a neighborly hello but it just didn’t feel right. It wasn’t until you had baked some brownies that you decided to get over yourself, putting about 5 on a plate and covering them in cling-wrap. You quietly went out into the hallway, gently knocking on the door across your own. You heard some noise inside before the click of the lock and creak of the door as it opened, the pale ghost of a neighbor looking down at you through the crack.  
“Um.. Dr. Reid? I hope I’m not intruding but uh, I made these and wondered if you may want some? I never got to meet you properly and I-”  
“How do you know my name?”  
“O-oh. Mary told me.”  
He slowly opened the door a bit more, his frame blocking your view into the apartment, though you didn’t plan on snooping anyway. He looked down at the plate and you raised it slightly, looking over his face as he seemed to contemplate taking it. His eyes were still set in dark circles, his hair a little more kept but still quite a mess. He had grown a bit of facial hair since last week and it suited him well. He carefully grabbed the plate from you and you let him take it. You gave him a small smile and wave as you said goodnight and he nodded as he returned the sentiment, closing the door. You felt like an idiot as you realized you had forgotten to give him your name.  
You went to work the next morning and quickly got swept up in the morning rush. You were lucky to have a friend who owned a fairly popular coffee shop in D.C. that needed a new employee. Most patrons were the type to take their cup and go but a few regulars would sit and chat together before heading off for the day. You had only started work over the weekend but quickly settled in to the environment. What you didn’t expect was to see a clean, well dressed Spencer Reid walking in about an hour after your shift started.  
“Dr. Reid, it’s nice to see you.”  
“Oh, uh, you too.. Y/N.”  
He had read your nametag and you were thankful you wouldn’t have to awkwardly tell him your name yourself after forgetting to last night. He seemed so different like this, clean and not hiding behind a heavy old door. He was awkward, ordering and paying quickly before stepping out of the line, hanging around the counter where you’d hand him his coffee. You were quick, having been a barista before for a much larger chain store in college. As you handed it to him his fingers brushed yours and you were afraid he would drop the cup as he quickly pulled it away.  
“Sorry.”  
“It’s fine, happens all the time.”  
You smiled at him as you said it even though he was looking down at the cup. He nodded much like he had last night, leaving the store and heading towards the bus stop. You shrugged off the encounter and finished your shift with quite the nice amount in your tip jar. You and the other two baristas split it all evenly before heading out for the afternoon. You had the morning shift and closing shift every weekday and could afford to take the weekends off because of it. You got all your errands done in the 7 hours between quite easily, having time to go home and relax for a while. You don’t know how you ended up doing it but before you knew it you were googling your neighbor. You saw articles of his achievements, his name in many papers and even a few by him. You saw he was in the FBI and did a few guest lectures with David Rossi. You had read a few of Rossi’s books in college because they were all over the library and found them very interesting.  
You napped after your googling session, only getting about an hour of sleep before your alarm went off. You got up and ready quickly, making a dinner out of leftover takeout. The closing shift was always slow, not many people wanting to get caffeinated before bed. The few customers you did get would be very grateful for the cheap coffee and tip better than the morning patrons. Most of the work came in cleaning up the store after you closed the doors to the public. You always went home smelling like coffee grounds and cleaning solutions but it wasn’t unbearable. As you approached your door you saw the plate you had given Reid on the ground with a small folded piece of paper on it. You picked it up and entered your apartment, tossing your keys on the counter as you set the plate in the sink and opened the note.  
‘Thank you for the brownies and the coffee. Both were very good.’  
The bottom of the note was signed with his initials. You found yourself smiling at it and putting it in a drawer, always having been one to cherish thank you notes. This one felt especially nice though, as he hadn’t said thank you in the moment. You washed the plate and set it in the drying rack, drying your hands and getting out of your work clothes as you made your way to your bed. You tossed them in your hamper and fell into your pillow, remembering to set your alarm for the next day. Tomorrow was already Friday and you were a bit surprised at how fast the time was going by. You wanted to get around town this weekend and find whatever interesting places you could.  
As you got ready that morning you wondered if you’d be getting to make your neighbor’s coffee again. You made yourself a cup with the stuff you had at home and took it with you as you rushed off to the shop. As expected, around an hour later, Reid had arrived. You already had someone started on his drink a few minutes before he arrived, just in case. He was surprised with how quick it came out to him, you flashing him a knowing smile as you got some change for another customer. He saw you and you could swear you saw his lips twitch into a smile as he turned and left the shop, headed for the bus stop again. You kept up with the morning rush and made sure to wait for the afternoon shift baristas to show up before heading home yourself.  
You spent the day getting groceries to fill your empty fridge and some small decorations you had spotted in a shop window on your way home. You decided to stay up and have another coffee while you waited for your alarm to leave to go off. You put on your favorite channel while you sipped away, finishing up both your drink and show as the alarm went off. You got your stuff together and headed back for the night shift. You were pleasantly surprised to see your friend there working behind the counter.  
“Girl what the hell are you doing here?”  
She looked up and smiled, shaking her head.  
“Baby I have had a DAY. One of the girls got a cold and I didn’t have anyone else to cover her ass but me.”  
You hugged her as you met her behind the counter. You quickly put your stuff in the break room and came back out, tying your apron. The shift flew by as you talked with her about how the new apartment was and how the tall nerdy guy that comes in every morning was your neighbor. She had remembered him only because she thought he was cute which didn’t surprise you at all, she always had a thing for tall, skinny guys who looked a little dead sometimes. You teased her for it and she teased you right back, noting how you were the one to bring him up. You got her to drop the conversation after a while and cleaning up took almost no time with her around. You hugged her goodbye and she kissed your cheek, wishing you goodnight as you got in your car and drove back to the apartment.  
You saw Reid’s light on as you unlocked your door, heading inside and quickly getting out of your work clothes and into some comfortable pajamas. Since you didn’t have work in the morning you decided you would stay up a little later than usual, feeling energized from talking with your friend all evening. You scoured through Netflix and decided on Clueless, getting up to make popcorn before you started the movie. A few minutes later you were taking out the bag and you heard a knock on your door. You set the popcorn down on the counter and opened the door a crack.  
“Yes- Oh! Dr. Reid, what a surprise.”  
“Hi. I, uh, wanted to thank you for the brownies and my coffee so.. I bought these. They aren’t homemade like yours were but uh, I don’t think you’d wanna eat what I bake anyway. I’m not really a baker.”  
You smiled and took the small box of cookies from his hands gently, careful not to touch his hands as he didn’t seem a big fan of that. Before you could thank him he had started talking again, seemingly having noticed your care not to touch him.  
“Sorry about uh, the hands. Thing. Um.. The amount of germs and pathogens we carry on our hands is- Is a lot.”  
You giggled a little, setting the cookie box down on the counter and leaning against the doorframe.  
“I understand. You never have any idea where peoples hands have been.”  
He seemed to perk up a little, not quite smiling but his expression softening from what seemed like its natural, furrowed brow gaze. You noticed he was in a long sleeved college shirt instead of his usual robe and t-shirt. Maybe he just didn’t want you to see him in it again if he could help it, it was kind of associated with him being pretty disheveled. This nervous, rambling Reid was much different from the man you had met only officially 2 days ago.  
“What are you up to tonight, Doc?”  
The words seemed to speak themselves, you barely even registered them until after you said them. You watched him get a bit flustered, stumbling with his words trying to figure out how to respond.  
“Well I mean, I asked because I was gonna watch a movie and uh..”  
You found yourself flustered as well, though you weren’t quite sure why. It seemed to ease Reid a bit though, which was good.  
“What um.. What movie?”  
He cringed a little when you told him it was Clueless.  
“Or whatever. I don’t really care, nothing serious though. Serious is the last thing I want a movie to be right now.”  
You smiled and he nodded, understanding your comment about serious movies.  
“If you really don’t mind it.”  
“Of course not, that’s why there’s an invitation.”  
“Right, yeah.. Uh, let me go get my glasses. I’ll be back in a minute.”  
He turned and went into his apartment, quickly shutting the door behind him. You left yours open for when he returned, dividing the popcorn between two bowls. You then got out some glasses, filling yours with ice water and leaving his glass empty for now. He didn’t take long before he was gently knocking on your doorframe, closing the door behind him as he entered with his glasses on. You hadn’t seen him in them before, and they complimented his face really well.  
“I like your glasses, Doc. Water?”  
“Oh, um, thank you. And yes, please.”  
“Ice?”  
“No, thank you. Did you know in the Middle Ages, people believed ice water to be dangerous because it ‘cooled down your body too quickly’?”  
“No, I didn’t. Is it true?”  
“What?”  
“Does it cool down your body too quickly?”  
You asked, inviting him to sit on the couch with a gesture as you handed him his water and set down the two bowls of popcorn on the coffee table.  
“Oh. Um. No, not usually.”  
He seemed surprised that you asked him about it. You guessed he wasn’t used to people asking him about these random facts he seemed full of. You sat at the other end of the couch, setting your glass down on the table as you picked up the remote, backing out of Clueless and back to the home screen. As you scrolled through the movies waiting for some kind of response from him you only saw him really pay attention to what you had already watched.  
“You like documentaries?”  
“Sometimes, if I’m in the right mood for one.”  
He nodded and seemed content with that response, letting you go through the rest of the movies. In the end you both decided on Monty Python and the Holy Grail. You had seen it plenty of times and loved it and after explaining the premise to Reid he seemed interested in watching it. You pulled your knees up to your chest and got comfortable as he slowly settled into your couch. You smiled through the whole movie, finding yourself mouthing along to yourself with your favorite scenes. You didn’t notice until later, catching him in the corner of your eye, but he was watching you while you did. You found yourself blushing a bit from embarrassment and looking back to the movie, him not realizing you had seen and looking back to the screen as well. You had brought over the cookies halfway through and you both agreed they were really good.  
By the end of the movie you had finished the popcorn and half of the box of cookies. You got up, taking the bowls and glasses to the sink. He stood after a moment and fumbled with his hands, staying by the couch.  
“Well, um, that was.. Nice. Thank you, Y/N.”  
“No problem. You’re always welcome for movie nights, just knock.”  
You smiled and he did too. For the first time you definitely saw him smile, it was small, but it was there. He walked over, the door in front of you both. You just stood there for a moment before he reached a slightly shaking hand out to you. You took it gently and you shook hands. He breathed out like he had been holding his breath and nodded, it was like he was telling himself that it was alright.  
“Goodnight, Doc.”  
“Goodnight, Y/N. You can, um.. You can call me Spencer, if you want.”  
“Okay, Spencer.”  
You released his hand with a grin and he left, ducking back into his own apartment and locking his door. You weren’t expecting your night to end with you shaking the hand of a germaphobe FBI agent but you were glad it did. Mary was right about him for sure.


	2. News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A certain event makes everyone nervous, including Spencer and yourself.

You spent your weekend going through local thrift stores, finding clothes and furniture to fill your place. Your bed, TV, couch, and table were from your old place but you picked up a dresser and a few rugs. Nothing very interesting happened until Sunday when you entered a small bookshop on the corner. As you scanned the shelves and looked through the rows of books you spotted Spencer bent down and looking at the back cover of a novel. You made your way over and stood beside him.  
“You ever read The Little Prince, Doc?”   
He jumped a bit and looked up at you. He sighed and shook his head, relaxing when he realized it was you.   
“You uh, you surprised me. No, I haven’t.”   
“Really? It’s one of my favorites. I read it in French class back in high school before I read the English version.”   
He stood, straightening out the sweater he was wearing. He looked over your shoulder before looking down at you.  
“You speak French?”  
“Not really. My school required two foreign language credits so I know about as much as a toddler. The teacher helped us read the whole thing.”  
You gently took the book from him and flipped through the pages, pointing out various drawings.  
“I was more focused on the art.”   
After chatting for a while you took the few stories you had found in the horror section and checked out, standing out front for a second to check your phone. You heard the door open behind you and turned your head, Spencer standing there and putting the book in his bag.   
“Hey, Doc. Wanna grab some lunch? I’m buying.”  
He looked at you with a hint of surprise before checking his watch.   
“Oh, uh. I’d like to but I’m meeting someone, I’m sorry.”   
“Don’t be sorry. Maybe another time. Have fun!”   
You smiled and waved as you headed in the direction of the sandwich shop you’d passed earlier. He waved back before heading the opposite direction in a speed walk. You had your lunch and headed home, somehow managing to take everything up to your place on your own. You took your time putting everything in its perfect place. You opened the only box you had taken with you from home, placing the old trinkets on top of the dresser. You looked around, satisfied with how it all looked in the small space you had to work with. It wasn’t until you heard the door of Spencer’s apartment open and shut that you realized you had been at it for a few hours.  
You made yourself a quick dinner and ate it while watching some fake ghost hunting show. It didn’t really catch your interest so you decided to get into bed early, taking one of your books with you as you got comfortable under the covers. It was the Stephen King novel “Gerald’s Game”, one not many people seemed to talk about. You had heard about it from a college friend before and it never really left your mind. You got through a good chunk of the book before your yawning interrupted the suspense that was building and you set it aside, open face down until you could find a bookmark to use in the morning. You drifted off, lucky to be someone who didn’t get nightmares easily.   
When you woke up to your alarm you considered snoozing before resigning to the fact you needed to be at work on time and got up, heading into your bathroom for a shower. You brewed your coffee while you cooked breakfast, your cup ready by the time you were plating up the eggs and toast. You sat on the couch and watched the news, a certain story catching your attention. There were a string of abductions and murders in Lincoln Park, only about 7 minutes from where you lived. You couldn’t help but shiver at the thought of how close it was but knowing your neighbor worked for the FBI calmed your nerves a little. You got dressed and headed to work, taking extra care to make sure your door was locked.   
At work you could tell everyone had seen the news that morning. All your fellow baristas were really hamming up the kindness to help cheer people up but it didn’t do much. By the time Spencer had arrived the shop felt heavy, many of the regulars not hanging around and only the sound of orders being placed and drinks being made filling the void of silence. You handed him his drink before he could even say hello, your face seeming to give away your discontent with the vibes.   
“I’m, uh.. I’m guessing everyone saw the news..”  
“Seems like it. It’s gonna be like this until whoever’s doing this is caught, I can tell.”  
He handed you his cash with a solemn nod and put the change in your jar, making you smile.   
“Well hey, let’s hope this doesn’t go on too long, hm?”   
“Yeah.. Thank you, Y/N. For the coffee.”   
You waved as he passed the window on his way to the bus stop and he waved back, walking off quickly. The morning shift had never felt so slow but you eventually found it time to clock out, asking if anyone needed a ride. No one took you up on your offer so you quickly stopped by the store before heading home. You decided to watch cheesy comedy movies and eat snacks to get your mind off of everything, noting to yourself how it may not be a good idea to read the novel you started last night at the moment. Towards the end of the second movie you set yourself an alarm and took a nap, making sure to have enough time to eat dinner before work.  
You went in and the atmosphere hadn’t changed for the better in the shop. The baristas were skittish, the customers were wary, and you just wanted to hide in your bed where you were safe. While you were cleaning at the end of the night one of the younger girls pulled you aside.  
“Hey, Y/N? My mom needs my car on Wednesday and I was wondering if you could give me a ride home. Usually I’d take a cab but..”   
“I understand. Here, let me give you my number just in case there’s a change of plans. I don’t want anyone heading home alone right now anyway.”   
You gave her your number and she thanked you happily, going back to mopping the floor. Before you left for the night you made sure no one needed a ride, quickly making your way to your apartment. You got to your door and opened it so quickly that you didn’t notice the note stuck in the crack by the knob. You caught it before it could fall on the ground, opening it after you were inside with your door locked.   
‘Here is my number just in case you get into trouble. Be safe, please.’  
That familiar handwriting was followed by a phone number and Spencer’s initials. You smiled to yourself, it was an odd way to get a friend’s number but you appreciated it. You put it in your speed dial before doing your nightly routine, falling asleep with your light on.


	3. Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your life is at risk and the only person you know to call promises to be there.

Tuesday came and went with no public leads in the abductions and murders, Wednesday being much the same. You and the whole city only got more antsy with each passing day, most people being home before dark if they could. You and your coworkers on closing shift did not have that luxury though and you made sure you could give your young coworker a ride. As you locked up she stayed close by, almost using you to hide from the rest of the world. You took her to your car and you drove off, reaching her place in only 5 minutes due to the empty streets. You offered to walk her up and she accepted, thanking you almost the whole way to her door. You smiled and left, noticing an odd looking guy down the street as you walked to your car.   
As you approached your vehicle you pulled out your phone, watching the guy slowly approach but still quite far off. You stopped to think for only a moment before calling Spencer, hoping he would answer your call.   
“Hello? This is Do-”  
“Spencer! Spencer. Hi. Um, there’s a guy and I don’t know if anything’s gonna happen but- I wanted to call you just in case, I’m sorry-”  
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. What’s happening?”  
He sounded so calm despite your rushed, hushed tone. You fumbled over your words as you got in and locked the car, telling him where you were and what the guy looked like from what you could see in the dim street lighting. You saw a dull shine on his hip and you started the car, panicking.  
“He has a gun, Spencer. I think he’s-”  
“Okay, I’m coming. If he comes up to you, do what he says. I’ll be there, Y/N.”  
He stayed on the line as the guy came up to your car, knocking on the window. You just sat there in shock, the phone in your hand as he knocked again. You forced yourself to look up at the man through the window and saw his face before the gun was pressed against the glass. You didn’t scream, you just shakily dropped the phone as he yelled at you to open the door. Your brain was screaming at you to just drive off as fast as you could but you did as he said, unlocking the door and letting him yank it open. He pulled you out and you fell to the ground as he continued to yell. You stood slowly, your hands up so he didn’t think you’d try anything. He grabbed you and you thought he’d break your hands if he was any stronger as he put your arms behind you, the gun pressed into your head.  
“Alright. You’re gonna come with me, you’re gonna let me take you. I’ll fucking kill you if you try anything. Got it?”   
He pressed the gun into your skull even harder and you whimpered, tears starting to fall from your eyes.  
“O-.. Okay..”   
You heard sirens in the distance as he pulled you in front of him, prepared to use you to keep the cops from shooting him. He screamed something about you calling the cops but you couldn’t respond through your sobs and thoughts that flooded your head. What the hell, only your second week here and you were going to die. The gun jammed into your head wasn’t helping you stay calm as the cops pulled up, them rushing out and pointing guns at you both. You saw Spencer, gun drawn and bulletproof vest on, calling out to the man that held you there. He was soon joined by more people, one being David Rossi, another being the woman you had seen on the news a few days ago. You stifled your sobs, hearing yelling between the sides, not even registering Spencer trying to negotiate with your abductor for a few moments.  
“Let them go. You let them go, we take you in, and you don’t die here.”  
“We’re both gonna die here.”  
You felt the pressure against your head let up for a second and you let your head hang forward, hearing a bang and a disgusting noise as you and the man fell to the ground. The next thing you knew Spencer was over you, calling over medics. You blinked and went to turn your head to see what had happened but he carefully turned your head back to his face with his hand. Your ears rang and he kept eye contact, telling you it was okay. Your eyes fell shut and you felt yourself get lifted onto the stretcher then put in the ambulance. When you opened them again Spencer was there beside you, telling the paramedics as much as he knew, one of his hands gripped on the side rail of the stretcher.   
At some point you must have passed out, waking up in the hospital. You were alone now, the atmosphere much calmer than it had been before. You sat up slowly as a nurse came in, greeting you sweetly and asking how you were feeling. Your ears still rang a little and the spot the gun had been pressed was still sore, but overall you were okay.   
“Your friend had to leave but he said he would be back to get you in the morning.”  
“Get me..? I can drive, I’m fine..”   
“Well you don’t have a car here, you were brought in an ambulance, remember?”  
“Of course..”  
She told you the best you could do was just rest until he arrived and you agreed, laying back down and closing your eyes. You didn’t get much sleep as you kept replaying the events of the night in your head, waking up in a sweat each time. By the morning you were exhausted, ready to just lie in bed all day. You realized you’d have to call out of work and your phone was in your car. You called a nurse in and asked her for a phone and she took you to one, allowing you to call your friend.  
“Hey, Y/F/N, this is Y/N.”  
“Huh? Why are you calling so early? What happened?”   
“Well, um, I’m in the hospital right now and-”  
You didn’t even get to finish your sentence as she started freaking out, asking what happened at least five times between her worried ramblings.  
“Listen, I’m okay, I just need today off. I can be back in tomorrow-”  
“No, baby. You can have the next two days paid, I know you’re only in the hospital for emergencies. Tell me what’s going on when you can.”  
You thanked her and said your goodbyes, hanging up and getting escorted back to your room. Around an hour later Spencer showed up and entered your room nervously.  
“Hey, Y/N. How, uh, how are you feeling?”  
“Absolutely fantastic, Doc. Please tell me you came to rescue me from this sterile pit.”  
His lips twitched up into a half smile as he sat down beside you.  
“Yeah, I did. You also have to answer some questions for us, if you’re alright with that.”  
“Mm, I can manage it. You looked pretty cool in that vest, y’know.”  
You laughed to yourself as you sat up, him standing and heading towards the door.  
“Well, um, I’ll let you get in your clothes. I’ll be right outside.”   
You got up, taking your clothes from where they were folded up for you. The hospital had been nice enough to wash the blood out for you but that horrid smell that hung in the whole building would be stuck on you as long as you wore them. You dressed quickly, Spencer walking you to the desk so you could check yourself out. The ride was quiet as you stared out of the window and he focused on driving. You felt his eyes on you a few times but you ignored it, just wanting it all to be over with.   
You arrived at the building rather quickly, people in professional outfits heading in and out in almost a constant flow. Spencer lead you through the halls and security, eventually sitting you down in a large room with many other agents all around. You recognized the woman and she gave you a polite smile from where she sat.  
“Y/N, I need you to tell me everything that happened, okay? From about an hour before to when we arrived.”   
You nodded and sighed, thinking back to everything that happened yesterday. You told him every detail from how you had to give the girl a ride home to how you walked her to her door. He nodded as he wrote down what you said, listening to everything. You decided to leave out just how terrified you were as you were sure he already knew. By the end of it your hands were fiddling with each other in your lap, your leg bouncing. You just wanted to forget it ever even happened so talking about it wasn’t helping your anxiety. He noticed and gave you a small smile, letting you know it was okay. You nodded just like he usually did, looking down at your hands.   
“I know it’s hard. You did really well, Y/N. Thank you.”   
“Do you guys have my phone and my car?”  
“Oh, yes. You’re sure you can drive?”  
“Yeah, I just wanna go home. Please.”   
He told you he understood the feeling and to wait there for a moment while he went to get your things. As you sat there a man came up to you, holding out a cup with what you assumed to be coffee down to you. You took it and looked him over, he looked more like someone who played a cop on TV than an actual one.   
“I’m agent Derek Morgan, I heard about yesterday. That was pretty tough, kid.”  
“Oh, um.. Yeah.”  
You sipped the coffee and coughed. He laughed a bit and shook his head.  
“Sorry, it’s bad, I know. It’s almost a guarantee the coffee will be shitty.”  
You smiled a little and he seemed satisfied, about to say something else before Spencer pushed past him to hand you your phone and keys. They had some banter which made you laugh and soon enough you were taken to your car by Spencer.  
“Thanks, Doc. I owe you about a million free drinks after all this.”  
“You don’t owe me anything, Y/N. Just be safe, okay?”  
He was genuine, brows furrowed with worry as you promised him you wouldn’t crash on the short ride back. He waved as you pulled out of the parking garage your car had been taken to. The drive home couldn’t have felt slower but the promise of your bed was enough to keep you going.  
As you entered your apartment you looked around. It was exactly how you left it yesterday, the dishes still in the sink and remote left crooked on the edge of the table. You left your keys by the door and quickly got out of the hospital scented clothes, getting comfortable in some pajama pants and an old shirt that was much too large. You were sure you’d fall asleep as soon as your head hit the pillow but your usual position was ruined by the soreness of your head. You rolled onto your back with a groan, closing your eyes and trying to get comfortable.   
You only slept until noon, not wanting to ruin your sleep schedule completely. As you made yourself lunch and sat down to eat you turned the TV on to the news. You caught the ending of a news report saying the suspect was shot by police and that the ‘unidentified hostage’ was taken to the hospital with only minor injuries. You were relieved to not find your name plastered on the news, that kind of attention always seemed so awful. It reminded you to call your friend again and you did, explaining everything but in much less detail than before. She was extremely worried about you but you assured her that you’d be okay. She promised that she’d stop by over the weekend to make sure of that and you laughed, saying your goodbyes and hanging up. You cuddled up in a blanket and got ready to watch old sitcoms and bad reality TV all day, you felt you deserved a break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> who is pacing lol don't know her


End file.
